I dont think there is any need for a seperate league mode gameplay. Few points to back my argument.
1. Smite has a lot of parameters already to classify players. Player levels(max.30), god mastery levels, worshipers acquired. The tier system is brilliant but it must apply to all the players not just the league players.
2. League is meant to provide high quality games but an arrogant and unhappy attitude dominates the league, there r always players cribbing one another and the whole fun gets lost.
3. I have found normal mode much more vibrant and enjoyable(win or lose). But bcz of league all the stats and parameters have become irrelevant.
4. There must be various custom games available for parties and weightage must be given to only performances in the game.
5. As its hard to get a game in league, we half heartedly play the normal mode bcz u can get a game pretty quickly. Takes away the fun from tat as well.
6. Players must adapt to playing with all kind of players tats a bigger challenge, to maintain ur report cards/ victory count/ performance, etc
7. The quality of players in normal mode a lot of times is better than those playing in leagues.
8. An idea behind ranking system is that of consistency, u need to win successive games in a streak. But in normal mode its as difficult to achieve this as in competitive if not more.
9. Keep both normal and ranked separate, I don't want to rank in top 100 or 50 or anything..Just make the normal mode applicable for tier system surely with less weightage. E.g.: if I win 5 games in a row in normal mode conquest it shall give me benefits of like 2 consecutive wins of the league in the tier system. People who don't want their normal games to matter they can obviously play ranked to quickly get ahead in the tier system. But every now and then even those players wont mind playing the normal mode bcz it is gonna help in their ranking anyways. Players who only wanna play ranked are only 5-20%..Why taking away the tier system from the other 80% players. Every smite player must be made part of the tier system. Every new player must start with a copper badge, on which they can keep photo of their favorite god. It will inspire them to win more, learn more and get hooked to the game more. All players gaining 14 mastery and level 30 shall be given a bronze badge, making them part of the tier system. Smite will rise like anything!
Unless match making time or queue time becomes same for league and normal mode, there is no point in having a seperate league mode.
Obviously people still play it. Don't fix what isn't broken, and don't remove something just because you don't play it. Did you see how much backlash there was for removing Domination because few people played it?
If you don't play league, then good, don't. Let others play it. Plain and simple. Doesn't hurt you at all.
Obviously i do play leagues and want to play leagues more, but it so happens that u tend to play 70-90% of ur games in the normal mode, which has no weightage in the tier system.
Either some weightage shall be given to performances in the normal mode or the matchmaking in leagues shall be made quick and easy.
Since league was added, casual has become a somewhat trolly place, and league has become full of, well, mean people.
I think an "intermediate" queue would be nice. No ranking, just a bunch of people who don't want to play ranked but don't want a purely casual environment either,
If you don't play league, then good, don't. Let others play it. Plain and simple. Doesn't hurt you at all.